Mail-bag



(No Model.)

FIG.3.

Patented Oct. 27,1885.

MAIL BAG.

F. J, FIINTHEL 8v J..G. DINKLBIHLER.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEEicE.

FREDERICH J. FEINTHEL AND JOHN G. DINKELBIHLER, OF CINCINNATI,

OHIO.

MAIL-(BAG.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,155, dated October 27, 1885.

Application tiled August 17, 1885. `Serial No. 174,66l. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDEEICH J. FEIN- THEL and JOHN G. DINKELBIHLEE, citizens of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Mail-Bags, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The first part of our invention comprises a novel combination of outer and inner flaps, buttons, and slotted plates, wherewith the mouth of a mail-bag can be securely closed and yet be readily opened after a padlock has been disengaged from an appropriate staple, the details of this combination being hereinafter more fully described.

The second part of our invention consists in combining with a mail-bag a peculiar form of keeper or holder that secures the bag-label in place, as hereinafter more fully described.'

The third part of our invention comprises a novel combination of devices for attaching this holder to the bag, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure lis a front elevation showing our improved mailbag closed and the outer iiap secured with a padlock. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation, but showing said flap unlocked and thrown open. Fig. 3 shows the bag after the inner flap has been released and opened. Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section of the upper part of the bag, taken at the line Y Y of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the bag taken at the line Z Z of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the label holder or keeper. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of said label-holder.

A represents the front, and B the back, of a mail-bag of any suitable size and material, said back having secured to it by rivets b the main or outer iiap, C, near the free edge of which latter is attached a plate, D, having a slot, d, to receive a staple, E, wherewith is engaged a padlock, G. Furthermore, this outer iiap, C, has secured to it a label holder or keeper, N, the details of which will be described hereinafter. Y

The back B is prolonged a sufficient distance above the front A to afford an inner or secondary flap, H, to which is fastened a plate,

I, slotted at t to admit the staple E, previously alluded to. In addition to this plate I, said liap H has secured to it a pair of plates,J J', each of the latter being furnished with an eye, j, and slot j', which eyes and slots are adapted to receive headed pins or buttons K K', projecting forwardly from plates la k. These plates lc 7c' are attached to a re-enforce or band, L, riveted to the upper portion or mouth of the bag, said band being further provided with a plate,e, from which projects the staple E.

M is a handle that may be attached to the rear ofthe outer flap, C, as seen in Fig. 4, or a handle may be fastened on each side of the bag, one of which side handles is seen at M' in Fig. 2.

Our label-holder consists of a case, N, open at one end but closed at the other end, and provided with an upper flange, n, and lower iiange, n', as seen in Fig. 7. Projecting from the open end of this case is a spring, O, terminating with a shoulder or other stop, 0, capable of retaining within said case a thin strip or plate, I, upon whose exposed face the'destination of the mail-bag is either written or otherwised inscribed. Projecting rearwardly from said case are loops or staples R R', which, after passing through suitable holes cut either in the bag or flap C, are traversed by a wire, S, as more clearly seen in Fig. 6. n

When our mailbag is closed, the inner flap, H, is turned down in front and the slot t' of plate I is engaged over the staple E, while the shanks of buttons K K occupy the slots 7" j' of Vplates J J', as seen in Fig. 2. The outer flap, C, is then turned down over the inner flap, H,'as seen in Fig. l, thereby concealing the plates I J J' and buttons K K'. NVhen thus turned down, the staple E passes through the slotted plate D d of said outer iiap, and the padlock G being now engaged with said staple, the bag is securely fastened. Thelabelstrip P is then inserted in the holder N, and is retained in place by the shoulder o of spring O snapping over the exposed end of said strip.

When the bag arrives at its destination, the padlock G is disengaged from the staple E and the outeri'lap, C, is thrown open,thereby exposing the inner flap, I-I, as seen in Fig. 2. The lower portion of this flap H is then disengaged from said staple, and said flap is shoved IOO up, so as to .cause the shanks of buttons K `K to traverse the slots j j of plates J J.

As soon as these buttons enter the eyes j j of said plates the flap H is free,.and is at once 5 thrown open, thereby exposing the mouth T of the bag, as seen in Fig. 3. i

lf it should be desired toydetach the labelholder, the act can be rea'dily accomplished by simply pulling the rod S out of the loops Io R R of the case N.

The label-strip P can be as readily slipped out of the case after the spring O has been forced back far enough to allow the outer end of said strip to clear the shoulder or otherde- 15 tent, o, of said spring.

Finally, this case N can either be integral with the plate D, as seen in Fig. l, or it may be detachably coupled to the bag in the manner shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 7.

We claim as our invention- 1. The mail-bag A B, having its mouth closed by an outer ap, C, and inner flap, H, `the front-A of said bag being provided with a staple-plate, Ee, and button-plates Kk K k, 25 Which buttons K K engage with the slotted Vand eyed plates Jjj Jjj of inner iiap, H. and-the staple E passes through the slotted plates'I 't' and D d of said inner and outer aps, for the purpose specified.

' 2. The combination, witha mail-bag, of the 3o ianged label-holder N n n', provided with detachable attaching devices, substantially as shown and described, open at one end, but closed at the other end, said open end being provided with a spring, O, whose shoulder o bears against the label-strip P in the manner herein described, and for t-he purpose stated.

3. The combination, in a mail-bag, of the label-holder N, having staples RR on its back, which staples pass through suitable holes in the bag or flap and are traversed by the rod S, for the purposeherein described.

In testimony whereof we afx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICH J. FEINTHEL. JOHN G. DINKELBIHLER.

Witnesses: y

J AMEs H. LAYMAN, SAML. S. CARPENTER. 

